Lou Anne Flanders-Stec, a Greensboro-based executive with strategic, financial and operational expertise in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, is joining Guilford College as Senior Executive Director for Innovation and Engagement.
Since 2016, Lou Anne has been an Executive Vice President at the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce with oversight for Launch Greensboro, a program that accelerates growth for local entrepreneurs through education, mentoring and access to capital.
In a long and distinguished career, she has worked extensively with start-ups, angel/venture fund management and educating entrepreneurs and university and college students.
“We are excited to welcome Lou Anne to the Guilford team,” said President Kyle Farmbry. “She has deep experience working on strategic initiatives in a range of organizations, including in academia, and she understands building engagement and growing revenue. She has a big-picture view of organizations, having worked at all levels.”
This spring Guilford will launch Envisioning Guilford College 2027, a strategic plan focused on enhancing the student experience in and out of the classroom, positioning the College as an anchor institution and establishing mutually beneficial partnerships locally and globally.
Lou Anne’s role at Guilford is designed for her to consult with colleagues across multiple areas. In addition to assisting with the overall implementation of the new strategic plan, she will:
- Lead efforts to develop new revenue streams for the College in collaboration with Advancement
- Assist the Provost with new program development and with rebuilding the Continuing Education program
- Assist Communications & Marketing with the development, implementation and oversight of marketing strategies
- Assist Finance with improving business processes
- Assist Finance and Human Resources with special projects
She will work full-time beginning July 1 and, in the meantime, on a contracted basis.
Lou Anne’s varied career has included executive positions with the nonprofit United Way of Greater Greensboro and a number of startups and venture firms.
She has taught at High Point University, where she served as Founding Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, Baruch College of New York and City University of New York, where she was Founding Director of the Center for Student Entrepreneurship.
Her wide-ranging volunteer leadership includes membership on advisory boards for Eastern Music Festival and UNCG, Elon University, Elon Law and Greensboro College, primarily in the areas of science, entrepreneurship and business.
She has been a board member, mentor and seed grant reviewer for NC IDEA, a foundation supporting entrepreneurship.
Among many awards Lou Anne has received is 2022 Power Player by the Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area for her Launch Greensboro work supporting the needs of entrepreneurs throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
She received Power Player, Women in Business and Most Influential awards from the Business Journal in previous years.
A Fort Worth, Texas, native, Lou Anne earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Ouachita Baptist University and an MBA from the University of North Texas.